At least one doctor’s surgery in Surrey Heath has already run out of flu vaccines and has found it impossible to get more supplies.

Surrey Heath MP Michael Gove has asked Patricia Hewitt, the Secretary of State for Health, to look into the shortages after he found out that the Lucas Green Road Surgery in West End had run out of flu jabs and was not expecting to receive any more.

Mrs Hewitt has warned that not everyone who needs vaccines will get them before Christmas.

Extra supplies are not expected to come on stream until January.

The high-profile campaign encouraging at risk groups to take up the offer of a free flu jab, together with fears of a cold winter, has meant overwhelming demand — despite two million extra vaccines being ordered nationwide.

Mr Gove said that the government had been wrong to blame GPs for the shortages and had simply been caught out and that as the average age in Surrey Heath is higher than that nationally, many people could be affected.

He said: “I think the government’s made a big mistake here in blaming GPs.

“The government said they had ordered 14 million doses for 11 million people affected.

“The truth is that there are 14 million affected just in England.”

He added that the funding system meant GPs who over ordered to ensure they had enough vaccine would be penalised if any was left unused but if they under ordered they would not be able to source more supplies when they needed them.

A spokesman for Frimley Park Hospital said: “In January we ordered 400 doses of flu vaccine which in past years has been more than enough to meet our requirements.

“So far nearly 300 hospital staff have received vaccin-ations and, because of the exceptional demand, we are prioritising our remaining limited stock for those in essential front-line services who wish to receive it.”

He added: “We are urging staff to seek vaccination from their GP if they are entitled to do so because they are in an at-risk medical group.”

Surgeries confirmed that many more people than before have taken up the offer of the free flu jab, which they put down to media warnings about the fierce winter that is expected.

Carol Wingrove, practice manager at Camberley Health Centre, said: “I think it’s just fears of the cold winter. It’s sort of publicised that it’s going to be a harsh winter.

“I think it’s also because this year the government seems to have targeted the more at risk groups.”

Carrie Vincent, practice manager at the Gordon Road surgery in Camberley, said that many more people had taken up the offer of a free flu jab this year.

She said: “Yes, demand has been higher this year, but we have flu jab stocks.

“The media has heightened public expectation, but we have still got flu jabs and we are still vaccinating people.”

One Frimley surgery said it had been having difficulty securing new supplies of flu vaccine.

But, compared to other surgeries, it was in a relatively good position and still had some reserves to treat patients who had missed out.